Key tag



F. B. WHITCOMB Sept. 2 1924.

KEY TAG 1 Filed June 27 1923 MIN '2 E5- WH/rt M5 Wdnu Patented Sept. 2,1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. VIHITGOMB, OF SAN FRANGISGO, CALIFORNIA.

KEY TAG.

Application filed June 27, 1923. Serial No. 648,042.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. Nnrrooias,

a. citizen of the United States, residing at clan Francisco, in thecounty of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Key Tags, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in key tags such as are used inhotels.

Key tags of the type now universally employed are flat and bear roomnumbers on one or both flat faces. When these tags are deposited in thebuilt up tiers or rows of boxes or pigeon holes such as are now used inhotels, the numbers on the tag cannot be read unless the tags areremoved and the clerk must reach into the boxes of the upper rows toascertain whether or not keys are contained therein. Often a letter,package or other article placed in a box will conceal the key tagtherein and this necessitates the removal of the letter or other objectto get at the key, or would give the impression that the key is out ofthe box.

Keys and tags are frequently misplaced in the. boxes or carried off byguests of a hotel, or left in the rooms. To locate a misplaced or lostkey, many of the keys in the boxes and often all of them, must be 3removed in order to locate the misplaced or lost key. A search of thisnature is troublesome and time consuming. The proper depositing of thekeys of hotel rooms in the boxes provided therefor is highly essentialto efiicient mangernent of a hotel but as here inbefore pointed out, thekeys are often not handled properly and a great deal of inconvenienceand loss of time is experienced.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a key tag which willeliminate the difficulties and objections such as have been heretoforeoccasioned in the handling of hotel keys and l accomplish this end bythe provision of a projector or up standing portion on a key tag body ofthe ordinary flat type, which upstanding portion or projection bears theroom number and presents the same so that it will always be readilyvisible when the tag is deposited in a box regardless of the placing ofletters or other objects in the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a tag of the characterdescribed, means for removably holding a number plate or slip on theupstanding portion or projection whereby the changing of the numberplate may be readily effected.

Another object is to provide on the tag means for holding a card, memoor signal slip, tag, note or letter, in upright and readily visibleposition.

Another object is to provide a tag of the character described whichprovides for use of interchangeable advertising cards or matter.

Another use of the tag of the invention is that the upstanding portionor projection will act as a support or rest for a card or letter placedbetween one side wall of the box and said upstanding portion.

A further use of the tag is that a long ob ject, letter, or magazine, ornewspaper such as would ordinarily be subject to readily falling out ofa box, when inserted so that it lies upon the upstanding portion of thetag, will be inclined or tipped to a posipgion insuring its remaining inplace in the lVith the above mentioned and other objects in view, theinvention consists in the novel construction and combination of partshereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and setforth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of constructionwithin the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a box showing the tag of myinvention therein.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tag.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tag. showing 2. rolled newspaper asheld in place in a box by the tag.

Fig. A is a front elevation of slip holder.

In the drawings, 1 designates a box of a tier of such boxes as used inhotels, 2 a key, 3 a letter in the box and i the tag of my invention.

The tag comprises a flat body portion 5 of any suitable material havingat one end an eye 6 to provide for attachment of the key to the tag. Atthe other end of the the number tag is a right angularly extendingprojec tion or upstanding portion 7 which preferably extends across saidend and is about one inch in height although the heicrht may be u I 23--varled as desired. This portion may be a separate piece or integral withthe body and although I show it to be curved or convex on its front faceand with a straight rear face, said faces may be otherwise shaped ifdesired, since the main point is to provide for the presentation of theroom or key number in an upright and readily discernible position.

One way of presenting the numbers is to provide for the use of removablenumber tags 8, which are removably held on the member 7 by a frame orholder 9 which latter may be secured in any suitable manner to saidmember. By providing long tongues 10 on the holder, the said tongues maybe bent around the ends of the member 7 and serve as a clip for a note,card or letter as well as secure the holder in place.

A card or letter held by the tongues would be maintained in uprightposition and be readily visible in any of the boxes of a tier 'or set.

The upstanding member on the body portion bearing the room number, in alike position, provides for a more ready reading of the number and theunusual shape of the tag is such that when handling the tag in order toreturn it to the box bearing the correspondingnumber, the clerk orattendant is more apt to exercise care in placing the tag and key thanwith the ordinary plate type of tag such as now used. If a key and tagis placed in the wrong box, the fact that the number is always visibleto the clerk,

permits the clerk to readily determine that a'mista-ke has been madewithout having to pull out a great number or all of the keys in order tolocate the misplaced one as now required with the old type of key tag.

As shown in Fig. 1, when a letter or card isplaced in the'box betweenthe tag and one wall of the box. it is held upright and will not fallinto a and escape notice. WVhen a newspaper or magazine or a long.letter or object such as are maintained in the box with diflicultv,

is placed so that it rests upon the tag, the

upstanding portion will tilt the magazine or the long object so that itis in a position which insures its remaining in" the boxas shown in Fig.3. In this connection the upstanding member Wlll prevent concealing ofposition lying flat in the r the tag by placing letters and otherobjects on too of it.

The body of the tag may be provided with a dovetailed recess shown at1-1, in which may be removably mounted a plate or slip 12 hearingadvertising matter. other available portions of the tag may be used forbearing identification or advertising indicia as is the practice withthe present style-of key tags.

It will be seen with reference to the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings, that I have provided a key tag which, althoughvery similar in appearance and size to the ordinary fiat type of key tagand but slightly changed'as to construction, will eliminate all of theobjections and disadvantages which attend the use of the or dinary flattype of key tag and at the same time provide features of advantage notpossible with the old type of tag. i

The tag of this invention is more cumber-- some than the ordinary flattag and for this reason discourages the carrying of the tag in thepocket. The upstanding portion also serves as a finger piece or handlein placing and removing the tag.

I claim: p 1. A key tag comprising a body portion constructed to providean upright face of suflicient area for presenting in upright position,identifying indicia;

2. A key tag comprising a body portion having a right'angularlvprojecting portion thereon, to one face of which rig t angu' larly prOecting portion an identifying charupright posi- The object in u saidupstanding member having an upstanding portion thereon on one face ofwhich upstanding member are applied identifylng indicia and means on theopposite side Of SELlCl member for supporting in upstanding position acard or similar article.

FRANK B. VVHITCOMB.

